Tim Price aims for third British open title, but Oliver Townend and Austin O’Connor among the challengers

Tim Price and Vitali return to defend their British open championship title later this month, but they will face stiff competition from other top-class entries for the class.

The British open, as well as the British intermediate and novice championships, take place at NAF Five Star Hartpury Horse Trials (6-10 August), having moved from their traditional home at Gatcombe’s Festival of British Eventing when that event was cancelled for 2024 and potentially forever, after the fixture was abandoned in 2023.

New Zealander Tim and Joe and Alex Giannamore’s Vitali won the British open on its final running at Gatcombe in 2022 and then triumphed at Hartpury last year. They come back to the Gloucestershire venue to try to make it three in a row next weekend.

Among other contenders for the title in the British open championship entries are Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent, who was withdrawn before the final phase in this class last year, and Ireland’s Austin O’Connor with the outstanding cross-country horse Colorado Blue.

Tim may also face competition from compatriots as his wife Jonelle Price brings forward the feisty five-star mare Grappa Nera and the on-form Samantha Lissington has entered Bicton CCI4*-S runner-up Lord Seekonig.

Last year’s national champions Emily King and Valmy Biats are not expected to start this year, but others vying for that accolade – as well as the open title – include Zara Tindall (Class Affair), David Doel (Galileo Nieuwmoed) and Max Warburton (Deepairc Revelry).

David also has a strong contender in the intermediate championship, Charlie Foxtrot, in which favourites include Oliver Townend on Dromgurrihy Gold, Barnie Brotherton with DHI King Nelson and last year’s novice winners, Katie Magee and Cushlas Indigo.

The novice is the biggest of the British championship classes, with 67 entries, including Ellie Fredericks on Upper Class Brit – a granddaughter of three-time five-star (then four-star) winner Headley Britannia – and rides for British team regulars Ros Canter (Broadstone Lion Man) and Kitty King (MBF Redhouse Evoque).

Hartpury also hosts the Corinthian Cup (the restricted British novice championship) and the retraining of racehorses championship, as well three international classes – a CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L and CCI2*-L.

The 67 entries for the CCI4*-S include several horses long-listed for the British squad for the European Eventing Championships in double Badminton Horse Trials winner and Olympic team gold medallist Lordships Graffalo (Ros Canter), Millstreet CCI4*-L winner Flash Cooley (Gemma Stevens), Kentucky Three-Day Event podium finisher Et Hop Du Matz (Harry Meade) and Cola III and Its Cooley Time (Bubby Upton). Bubby was first and second in this class last year on these two horses.

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